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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Egyptian General Shortens His US Visit


The Pentagon said the Egyptian army's chief of staff and other top officers departed Washington on Friday, cutting short a planned week-long visit amid protests sweeping their country.
The previously scheduled annual defense talks "adjourned this morning after the Egyptian delegation was called home by its government," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said in a statement.
Lieutenant General Sami Enan led the 25-member delegation, which had been due to hold meetings through next Wednesday.
Sandy Vershbow, the assistant secretary of defense, led the US side for the talks and reiterated the Washington's appeal for restraint in dealing with widespread unrest, Lapan said.
"The current situation in Egypt arose very quickly, but Ambassador Vershbow did have the opportunity to urge restraint to his Egyptian counterpart during the Wednesday and Thursday meetings here in the Pentagon," he said.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for restraint on all sides as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called in the troops and imposed a curfew in three provinces.
The United States provides $1.3 billion annually in military assistance to its longtime ally, and officials said 625 American military personnel are stationed in Egypt.
Though the army top ranking generals have been called back by Hosni Mubarak to help him to crush the protests and control law and order situation, but it seems the general would never take arms against the mobs and protests. But it is likely that Martial Law may be imposed and Mubarak will have to quit and leave the country. The people in the streets will never be satisfied without the ousting of him and may demand punishment for corruption and other misdoing during his 3 decade rule. Though Hosni Mubarak has already sacked the government

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